WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO?

Po-Zu is an award-winning ethical and sustainable footwear brand, a business we believe to have a genuine heart and soul, currently ranked as the UK’s Number 1 Ethical Shoe Brand by The Ethical Company Organisation.

The business was founded in 2006 by Sven Segal. After working in a number of footwear businesses, Sven believed there had to be a better way to manufacture shoes than some wasteful, exploitative and polluting methods he had witnessed. And so Po-Zu was born, with the aim to build a sustainable shoe brand with simple principles – ethical and stylish footwear, offering exceptional comfort.

Be kind to your feet, your eyes and the world around us.

We believe our product is unique with a combination of style, sustainability and comfort. Made without the use of toxic glues, all Po-Zu shoes are stitched, and thus made for disassembly and recycling – made in partnership with an ethical factory in Portugal. Our range includes shoes, boots and sandals for both men and women.

Having built the business in what we found to be a hard economic climate, Po-Zu has acquired a strong position in ecological and sustainable footwear. We have collaborated with renowned designers, and with global brands such as Timberland. Now selling shoes in all corners of the world, with demand from the USA, Japan, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the UK, we strongly believe opportunities for Po-Zu’s growth are significant.

In 2014 we conducted a business review, which inspired a re-calibration of the business direction – moving the marketing focus from sustainability, to the quality of the product and the unique experience of wearing Po-Zu shoes. Po-Zu has re-built and repositioned itself with the aim to better deliver its product to a growing international market.

Po-Zu’s mission is to become a prominent force for good in the global shoe industry, while proving that premium fashion doesn’t have to compromise on comfort or environmental standards. Our revised proposition has led to a more than double the online revenue Oct-Nov ’15 (£25k) compared to the same period last year – without any additional marketing spend.

Our customers delight in the comfort of our shoes, part made from coconut husks that moulds to the shape of the foot for exceptional cushioning, with the aim to provide superb climate control and air circulation. One of our customers described them as like “sinking into your favourite sofa”. Please check out more happy reviews on our website!

We are continuing to expand our product range with a new women’s high heel collection, in production for Spring/Summer 2016, in response to customer demand. The following Autumn/Winter collection we hope will continue to build on this development, with a further expansion of our women’s high heel range as well as the introduction of a new premium range for men.

And what does Po-Zu mean? It means ‘pause’ in Japanese. Slip on a pair of our shoes and we hope you’ll see how you are giving your feet – as well as the environment – a break.

HOW DO WE MAKE MONEY?

Current revenues are strongly weighted towards e-commerce sales through our website, which enables us to serve an international market, and our growth plans include increased support for international distribution. Future revenues we hope will also include significant growth from the wholesale market.

Our success has been enhanced by brand collaborations with the likes of Maharishi and Timberland. Whilst this is not an exclusive focus for the business going forward, collaborations and licensing deals may offer significant revenue opportunities. Po-Zu boots are also about to star in a major Hollywood film franchise, and we are exploring what we hope could be a transformational licensing arrangement with the producers.

Long-term, the ambition is to establish Po-Zu as a world leading footwear brand, with mono-branded retail sites in major fashion hubs globally.